WASHINGTON  The federal government sued a suburban Chicago school district Monday for denying a Muslim middle school teacher unpaid leave to make a pilgrimage to Mecca that is a central part of her religion.

In a civil rights case, the department said the school district in Berkeley, Ill., denied the request of Safoorah Khan on grounds that her requested leave was unrelated to her professional duties and was not set forth in the contract between the school district and the teachers union. In doing so the school district violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to reasonably accommodate her religious practices, the government said.

Khan wanted to perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia which every adult Muslim is supposed to make at least once in a lifetime if they are physically and financially able to. Millions go each year.

Khan started as a middle school teacher for Berkeley School District 87  about 15 miles west of Chicago  in 2007. In 2008, she asked for almost three weeks of unpaid leave to perform the Hajj. After the district twice denied her request, Khan wrote the board that "based on her religious beliefs, she could not justify delaying performing hajj," and resigned shortly thereafter, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Chicago.

Berkeley School District compelled Khan to choose between her job and her religious beliefs, the lawsuit said.

The government asked the court to order the school district to adopt policies that reasonably accommodate its employees' religious practices and beliefs, and to reinstate Khan with back pay and also pay her compensatory damages.

the woman is looking for a handout with the assistance of DOJ. More Muslim BS PC correctness. If she wanted to go so bad, she could have:
1.taken personal leave for 3 weeks at no expense for taxpayers.
2. when graduating from college she could have gone
3. the dingbat woman could have used sometime in the summer to go for the so called pilgrimage.

Instead now she files a discrimination suit because her civil rights were violated. the 1964 civil rights act should not be utilized to give morons religious rights that are cultish activities. Lets face it this country is becoming more and more pro muslim that if you are a christian or jew, you will lose your rights first and the muslims will get everything.

wonder if the Amish and Mennonites will loss their status as sects, and it be given to the muslim religious nutjobs.

I have spent 15 minutes trying (without success, anywhere) to ascertain this Moozie's age and with which (and no, not being a bottom-feeding ambulance chaser) could knock this one out of the park in abot 15 minutes with said info.

That and the fact that the Hajj is NOT mandatory only "encouraged" for those who can afford the trip (and probably the reason our good Buds (yeah, right! /sarc) the Saudis continue this precept in order to enrich their coffers) and if you take this and combine it with her age (I estimate no more than 30) would argue that she has another 50 years or so to make her "pilgramage," thus for her to insist on making now or during the school year is simply an act of hubris and meant to curry special favors not afforded all other educators.

Motion from the School Board to dismiss granted!!!

12
posted on 12/15/2010 7:42:06 AM PST
by Conservative Vermont Vet
((One of ONLY 37 Conservatives in the People's Republic of Vermont. Socialists and Progressives All))

The operative clause in this entire story is, “if they are physically and financially able to.” She is not financially able to go if she must work. Why not go during the three week CHRISTMAS break, or during summer break? This should be easily defensible by the school district.

13
posted on 12/15/2010 7:46:40 AM PST
by bonnieblue4me
(You can put lipstick on a donkey (or a dimrat), but it is still an ass!)

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